The idea of collaborative effort to prosecute child abuse comes from the children's advocacy center model, which holds child abuse is a multifaceted problem and requires representation from several disciplines to adequately address.

Inside, The Bridge looks like a child's dream come true with bright colors, toys and snacks.

But the work is deadly serious, because it is there that some of the earliest steps toward substantiating or refuting allegations of child abuse begin.

How to Help

If you suspect in good faith that a child is being abused or neglected, Texas law says you have to report it. Here's how:

Who to Call: Telephone your local law enforcement agency or the state hot line at (800) 252-5400.

What to Do: When you call, here's the information to report.

The child's name and age.

His parent's name and address.

Physical signs of abuse that you might have seen.

Whom you suspect of abuse or neglect.

The child's home address or school.

Any statements made by a child that leads you to believe he's being harmed.

Ways the child behaves that makes you suspect abuse.

Your relationship to the child.

Source: The Bridge

April Leming, a 12-year veteran of The Bridge, conducts forensic, or fact-finding, interviews with children who might have been victims of physical or sexual abuse or might have witnessed a violent crime.

The interviews are videotaped with the child's knowledge and are watched by investigators who participate in prosecution or child protection. Children are referred to The Bridge by law enforcement or Child Protective Services.

In her capacity as trainer, Leming teaches interviewers to talk to children on their developmental level. As a public speaker, she talks to groups about child abuse teaching people what to look for and how to report it.

In March, she spoke to a parents committee at Region XVI Education Service Center.

Only about 1 percent of abuse is committed by strangers, and the other 99 percent is perpetrated by someone in the home, someone related to the child or someone they know, Leming said.

Children don't perceive women, children or teens as being strangers and think of a "stranger" as the oddest looking person around, she said.

Leming advised parents to teach children names for their private body parts at the same time they teach eyes, nose and toes. Without names, children can't communicate about their private places, she said.

Parents should teach names both they and the child are comfortable saying, names a child can say and names others understand, Leming said.

Teach them to tell you if anyone touches their private body parts, she said.

"Don't go overboard, but remind them they can do it," Leming said.

Sometimes children don't talk about what's happened to them because they know it will upset their parents, she said.

"Don't cry or be mad, just listen," Leming said.

Others on the team

Leming is joined on the interdisciplinary team by representatives of law enforcement, the district attorneys' offices, sexual assault nurse examiners and Child Protective Services

Working together is good for the victim, said Lt. Brent Womble of the Amarillo Police Department.

"The trouble with having to tell a story multiple times is that there are different stories to tell, and anyone gets tired of having to repeat a story, and it can cause the story to be shortened and important details be left out," Womble said.

APD investigates about 1,000 child abuse allegations every year, but not all cases result in someone going to jail, he said.

"I always tell people to trust their instincts about reporting," Womble said.

When Randall County Criminal District Attorney James Farren talks about prosecuting people who hurt kids, he is sure the cooperation among agencies who care is better than ever and he credits that to The Bridge.

"Before, The Bridge and other multidisciplinary teams, prosecutors, police and CPS (Child Protective Services) didn't share information with one another. The Bridge is where agencies come together," Farren said.

Interviewers are trained to collect a complicated set of information that serves the needs of all the agencies, including information that weeds out false allegations, he said.

When an allegation of abuse is made, CPS investigates in conjunction with law enforcement, said John Spradling, investigation supervisor for CPS.

"Our role is safety of the child," Spradling said.

Legislation requires law enforcement liaisons in every investigative unit. CPS senior investigators are people with law enforcement backgrounds who work as social workers and often take some of the more serious cases, he said.

CPS staff considers the child's situation and whether an alleged abuser is in the home or has access to the child, he said.

Danielle Livermore is a sexual assault nurse examiner at Northwest Texas Hospital. She has conducted about 300 detailed forensic and genital exams in the last 3 years, looking for physical trauma. Livermore sees children at The Bridge, which has an examination room complete with digital camera for documenting any finds. Livermore testifies as an expert witness in criminal cases.